Congressman Rob Andrews discusses illegal immigration around the 41:00 mark in this Sept. 12 interview with Townsquare Media New Jersey.

Democrats didn’t do too well this weekend on the Truth-O-Meter, which found accuracy issues with claims about illegal immigration and tax cuts.

In case you missed it, the Truth-O-Meter rated False an immigration claim by U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews on Sunday, and handed down another False on Monday for state Assemblyman John Burzichelli’s claim about tax cuts in New Jersey.

Andrews claim

Andrews said during an interview posted online on Sept. 12 with Townsquare Media New Jersey that the number one source of illegal immigration in the United States is people who come to the country legally but then overstay their visas. Although it’s very difficult to determine exact numbers of illegal immigrants, most available estimates suggest Andrews overstated how many illegal immigrants first arrived legally and stayed past the expiration of their visas.

The assemblyman, a member of the state Budget Committee, said during a Sept. 19 interview on NJToday that Gov. Chris Christie is touring the state to promote a tax cut that would only benefit the wealthy. Christie is making stops around the state to talk up a tax cut, but Burzichelli’s characterization is unfair.

Christie’s original tax cut proposal would have largely benefited the wealthy, but that plan has been off the table for months. Christie this summer endorsed a plan, based off a Senate Democrats’ proposal, to give homeowners an income tax credit based on the first $10,000 of their property tax bill. That plan actually excludes New Jerseyans with incomes above $400,000.

Burzichelli (D-Gloucester) acknowledged that the governor backed off his original plan, which called for an across-the-board income tax cut of 10 percent over three years, but claimed that Christie has waffled on his decision. We found no evidence to support that claim, either.

Have you heard or read a claim from a public official that sounds too good to be true or too odd to be believed? Share it with us at politifactnj@starledger.com and we may test it on the Truth-O-Meter.

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Sources:

PolitiFact New Jersey, John Burzichelli says Chris Christie is promoting a tax cut plan that only benefits the wealthy, Sept. 24, 2012

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